The party went on smoothly, with everyone so pleased to see Tara as it had been before the war. Rhett had given Scarlett the money years ago to bring it back to its glory, and they had done ten times that. Scarlett beamed with pride at the compliments, more so than the ones she received for her dress. Will and Sue Ella were even complimentary and held no ill feelings about Scarlett buying Tara from them. Sue Ella was pregnant, and secretly wanted a place that in her mind, had nothing to do with Scarlett or the past. She never had any sentiment over Tara, and always felt like it was Scarlett's anyway, especially since she married her beaux to pay a tax on it.

It didn't take long for Scarlett to become bored with the party and bored with the people. The food was perfect, and even the children that attended were behaving and having fun. Scarlett looked over at Rhett, sensing something, but she could not tell what it is. He had been quietly discussing business and such things with Charlie and Jimmy, leaving her with an overwhelming sense of melancholy. Only later on, as she sat at one of the large tables, did she enjoy any conversation. She and Cathleen had begun talking about old times and they had some good laughs over it. Jenny sat with them, at first timid, but then opened up and began enjoying her surroundings as well. Soon, Ashley, Will and Sue Ellen were all sitting with them. Rhett lurked nearby, unable to commit to sitting beside Scarlett again. He sat next to her at dinner and though she looked at him calmly throughout dinner, he found few words to throw her way.

Meanwhile, Cathleen had expressed surprise that Scarlett was spending her time reading books. Actually, Cathleen was surprised by many things about Scarlett, but couldn't voice them. Her friend was the same and yet so different. The days before the war seemed so long ago…

"Scarlett, darling… I remember you as a little girl and the last thing you ever wanted to do was read anything!"

Scarlett laughed.

"That's true, but I think it was the teachers I despised! They were so hateful to me all the time…"

"That's cause we were always playing with the boys."

Scarlett laughed again.

"Well, that is true… but Cathleen, there are some books that are absolutely wonderful. But don't let Jenny convince you to read Romeo & Juliet! That was the biggest waste of time!"

Jenny spoke up, happy to be included in the conversation.

"Oh, Scarlett had some serious problems with Shakespeare after that."

Ashley perked up a little, but no one noticed. The talk of books and Shakespeare made him think of Melanie.

"It's just that I always heard about this great romantic book, and I was very disappointed!" Scarlett said defensively.

"I mean… they were practically children. They knew nothing about love. And before anything could be resolved, they both kill themselves accidentally! I was so mad!"

Ashley finally spoke.

"You can count on Scarlett for a fresh outlook on something as old as Shakespeare."

The praise was soft and genuine and made Scarlett so uncomfortable.

"I'm sure other people think the same thing, they just don't want to admit it."

Scarlett went on… "Cathleen, if you really want to read something, the Taming of the Shrew was my favorite. Antony and Cleopatra was also good. King Lear too. But now I'm on to Charles Dickens."

Everyone was listening to her, and everyone seemed to approve of her. It was something she wasn't quite sure how to deal with. Even Aunt Pittypat and the Elsings treated her with the utmost respect, though Aunt Pittypat had retired upstairs for the remainder of the party. And yet it seemed like a show, and Scarlett was tired of performing.

Moments later, Rhett was sitting in the parlor again with Jimmy Kendall.

"Rhett, you don't have to join us. Sure you have the resources, but you don't have to stay long. You should stay here with your wife. Maybe have some children."

If it wasn't his old friend, this would have angered him. He might have punched him.

"You're the one who told me to stop chasing her years ago. That she didn't love me. That a woman like that would only cause me pain…"

"Yes, but then I met her. Saw the two of you together. People change. People fall in and out of love. She had to like you a little to marry you."

"She told me she was fond of me when I proposed to her. That money was part of the reason she was saying yes. God, how I loved her honesty. Then again, she was drunk. Maybe I still love her. But she and I were never simple. She's happier without me, she just doesn't know it. She's always reluctant to see the truth."

"The truth is… life is short. See these gray hairs? You and I earned some of these together. We chased so many women… and now I have one, and I am worried that there's not enough time with her. You should worry too. There isn't time to squander anymore. Your wife is a magnificent woman. And she loves you. Who are you kidding? What woman wouldn't marry you for your money?"

"I can't stay here much longer. It only misleads her."

"Maybe you just like being the one in control now…"

Rhett smiled. His friend was as perceptive as he was. Maybe there was something spiteful about him returning every few months. Maybe he was testing her. Testing himself. But that wasn't fair. He looked over at Scarlett, who had stopped talking and was sitting at the table, looking bored.

He watched her get up from the table with some hosting excuse, and wander around. Jimmy and Charlie, it seemed, were happy to talk to Rhett all night. Bill and his wife were lovely and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Jeb walked around as if looking for something, and bumped into Scarlett, who tried to engage him in conversation. He talked on and on about himself, which Scarlett was too old to encourage. He mentioned knowing Ashley and having met Melanie.

"She was a very boring little one, wasn't she?"

Maybe he thought she would approve of this statement. Maybe, even he knew that Scarlett had once wished Melanie dead. Maybe Rhett had told him more about her than she could guess. But while looking at him up close, Scarlett realized why she detested him. He reminded her of Rhett, so many years ago, but without that kind twinkle that Rhett always possessed. She remembered that early on, though she found him irritating, Rhett had warm eyes, and she knew she could trust him. Jeb had nothing in his eyes. They were blank and cold, and not intentionally. She made a mental note to tell Rhett not to get involved in any business with Jeb Holbrook.

She wandered around the party, almost like a ghost, not wanting to engage anymore conversations. She was bone-tired again. And frustrated that this party didn't make her happy. Even having Rhett there wasn't helping. She thought she could live with him as some sort of prop. That having some of him was better than nothing. But it wasn't. She was resigning herself to this fate, and though she didn't realize it, that's why her energy was drained. All the projects and the books she had read and even the party, were distractions. She had even started going to church, but found no solace. She had never gone with Rhett, even though he had only started taking Bonnie to the Protestant church to gain some favor for their reputation.

She found herself in the corridors in the back of the house, listening to the winding-down conversations of the party. She moved towards a spot where she could see people but they probably wouldn't see her. The lights were low in the back and the shadows against the light soothed her. She put her back against the wall and sighed, her body tilting to the side from pure weakness. There was a chair next to her and she couldn't even find the strength to sit in it.

Rhett had emerged, in his usual dreamlike way. Like her, he knew how to be the center of attention, but he knew how to slink away from a crowd and observe.

She didn't appear startled though. In fact, she covered her mouth and yawned.

"Oh excuse me. I guess I'm more tired than I thought."

Rhett was tired too. He stood right next to her, their shoulders almost touching. An observer would have thought they were a married couple in love. Neither could find the will to move, and had their arms touch, each might have felt electricity. But Rhett could see that Scarlett was tired. And sad. And he felt responsible.

"You finally have everyone in the palm of your hand."

"Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow… something I read recently. Not the most original Shakespeare, but it was something I understood. At least I could look forward to visiting my father's family next month."

She didn't say it in order to sound depressed, but Rhett hated the way she spoke now with depressing absolutes. Just yesterday, she had looked so happy on the horse (whose name he had learned was "Smoky"), when she thought that Rhett had gone. Rhett couldn't help but think that not having Ashley had always kept her hopeful. Not having him seemed to fill her with true despair. Even with him standing beside her.

As if reading his thoughts again, Scarlett corrected herself…

"I mean… half this crowd would turn on me on a dime. At least I know it now. India and Sue Ella especially. Poor Scarlett. Always gets what she wants, and still isn't happy. You used to tell me that."

"I used to say a lot of things that were stupid and crass."

"They were still true."

"Not all truths have to be spoken out loud. They were unkind. Why have such an elegant party for people who you don't care for…" He wasn't accusing her. He was actually curios.

"Maybe I thought that it would cheer me up. I don't know… They're not all bad. And some of them needed to meet one another."

"Like who?"

"Well, you do know Cathleen Calvert?"

"Oh please Scarlett, please don't say you've become quite as Parisian as to set your husband up with a new bride."

Scarlett looked at him sternly.

"I think Cathleen would find Charlie Wilson to be quite interesting. And my new friend, Jennifer…"

"It seems that Jeb Holbrook has his eye on her. She's a pretty young lady. And he mentioned something about looking for a wife. Though I suspect he is looking for a servant."

"Jeb Holbrook will have to look elsewhere. I don't dislike anyone enough at the moment to introduce to him."

"My my, I didn't realize you felt so strongly about him."

"Your perceptions of things have gone from sharp to quite dim. Jeb Holbrook is trash. He's beneath you and your friends. And you shouldn't go into any sort of business with him. He can't be trusted."

Rhett eyed her intently, wondering what brought this on. She continued.

"Don't look at my like that. You think the same thing about him. You don't think much of him either."

"Why would you say anything about business?"

Scarlett studied his face, as if she was spending her last moments with her husband.

"I suspect that's why they're here. Jimmy and Charlie came to Bonnie's funeral, but Bill and Jeb didn't. Money is the only thing that gets those men to travel so far. I know greed when I see it. I'm not judging, but that has to be it."

In her tired daze, she had let go once again, of any pretenses they had of normalcy.

Scarlett only saw guilt in his face. She finally turned her whole body to look at him.

"They want you to go to New Orleans. I figured…" Her voice was so soft and so broken that Rhett hardly recognized it. Again, he thought of her wile and free riding her horse at Tara.

"Scarlett---"

She turned from him again, her eyes too tired to form tears.

"It's alright. It's the right thing to do. They do well, but they don't have the kind of money you have. And you don't want to be here. Jimmy's a good man, and he'll keep an eye out for you. The money won't be that much, but since Jimmy's with his wife, he probably wants someone to keep an eye on thing. And you want somewhere to go…"

It was as if she had been a fly on the wall when Jimmy had talked to Rhett.

"Scarlett, you may think you want me here… you may think you need me here. I'd be like this party. All the preparations, and once you had me here, you would regret it. You've always done better without a husband anyway."

"Go to New Orleans, as long as you come back…"

"I can't promise that."

"I know."

"How is Ashley doing?"

Scarlett couldn't stand next to Rhett anymore. She wanted to kiss him, but she knew that kisses never made someone stay. She sat in the chair, a seemingly safe few inches between them. Rhett had expected her to ignore the question..

"I have this irrational belief that Ashley wants to marry me. That he's waiting till you're gone."

If she had said this to make Rhett jealous, he would have known what to say. But she said it as if it was this inevitable, sad truth that she had to live with. She rambled on, as she often did with Rhett now, because all her intentions were always on the table. She would talk to him for as long as he was standing beside her.

"But I've worked it all out. I spoke to someone from New York. Ashley once had a job offer there, for a bank. I convinced Mellie to make him stay and he did. I've arranged for him to get the same offer when the time is right. I introduced him to Jenny. They don't know it, but they're going to get married. I just know it. She'd be perfect for him."

"Poor Ashley Wilkes, he never sees what's coming…"

"It must be nice to live that way… Ashley doesn't love me, even now. He probably thinks I would be someone that somehow Melanie would approve of. Or maybe I'm just enough to keep him wrapped up in the past."

Rhett walked away.

"When are you leaving?"

"I will bring my mother and sister back to Charleston and then head to New Orleans. If there is any promise in running Jimmy's business, I will surely send you some money."

"Have I asked you for money? Does it appear that I need money?"

"No."

"In fact, I think I'm going to sell the sawmill. I don't want it anymore."

"It was always yours to sell. I'll ask around. Get you a good price."

"Thank you. I have to wake Aunt Pitty now… I hope she doesn't think she's sleeping here."

Their interaction could not be heard by any of the guests, but one person was paying attention to them. Ashley had seen them, and he remembered listening to Melanie talk about Rhett and Scarlett. He used to humor her, thinking in his own mind, that Scarlett's heart belonged to him. In their most private conversations, Melanie almost gushed about Rhett and Scarlett. She adored them and went on and on about how she admired them. Their loyalty and their bravery, and how they didn't always do what was popular, but she was sure they were first in line to get to heaven. He remembered one time when she had been particularly passionate.

"And it's not just because they saved my life and your son's… though that's reason enough. I know what people say about her marrying him. But they are wrong. I know she thought she loved Charles, but maybe at the time, with the war coming, she was just afraid of losing him. And Frank… she did dote on him quite a bit. It's hard for Scarlett because men are so captivated by her. But Captain Butler is her match I think. How he loves her. Though I must say they are both rather stubborn with their affections. They get so caught up fighting and arguing that they forget how much they love each other…"

Ashley had always thought Melanie was just blinded by loyalty. But looking in the distance at them, he realized that she had been right. Scarlett's feelings for him were probably never real, as he had suspected long ago. Maybe if the war hadn't happened or maybe if he hadn't married Melanie, she would have realized long before that. But Scarlett's heart belonged to Rhett. No matter how he behaved, or the long periods of time he would leave her… Seeing them together made it obvious to him. Scarlett had no intention of marrying him. All this seemed to be a very inconvenient train of thought. Because for the last few months, Ashley had the crazy idea of marrying Scarlett. But for now, he would have to wait. So he nodded goodbye to Rhett and thanked Scarlett for a lovely evening and left with Beaux, his sister and Aunt Pittypat.

Later, after the party, Rhett had more trouble getting to sleep. Maybe it was Tara. Maybe he would never be able to rest there. It was so new there, so different. There, in that house, was his wife's real passion. Her strength. For so long, he thought it could be him. And yet she wanted him and he wanted her. It filled him with shame. The last night they had shared a bed had resulted in Scarlett's miscarriage, which he had wished on her. His own wife and her own child. Maybe Bonnie's death was his punishment. His thoughts kept going to Scarlett sleeping alone. What if he went in her room and slept beside her? Not even to touch her, just to be beside her. What would she think?

He got up and wandered the halls. Scarlett had left her bedroom door a little open, with just a sliver of light to come through her room. She had left it open for as long as Rhett was staying there. He heard her snores. He looked at her sleeping; she had been so tired. From life, not the party. She was wrapped in her white blanket like a cocoon. She looked peaceful. He watched her for ten seconds or so. Then he went back to his room. He left two days later with his family.

Two weeks later, just after dawn, Scarlett heard a commotion of some sort. She heard Mammy's voice, and was immediately angry that Mammy was answering the door at this time. She was just too damn old, and she had ordered all the servants to make sure Mammy did the least of the housework. At the door was Amy, the young woman from Belle Watling's. She looked frightened and Scarlett's heart sank. Rhett is dead. Amy was at first afraid to talk, but then yelled out in a fearful voice.

"Captain Butler… we were going for our morning walk. And we saw him on the side of the road. His carriage was gone. He looked very sick. Virginia stayed by his body. Sally went to get Dr. Meade. Miss Watling sent me here."

"Is he alive?" Scarlett asked. She could not bear to say "dead."

"Yes, but he would not wake."

"Take me there."

Scarlett grabbed the first coat from the closet downstairs. Mammy tried to come, but she went alone. In the carriage, Amy shouted directions to her, and Scarlett listened, though later on, she could not remember where the carriage had gone. It was a deserted road, at least a mile from Belle's. Dr. Meade hadn't gotten there yet. Very quickly she scanned for Rhett and saw him; a limp body in a brown suit off to the side of the road. But he was moving slightly and coughing. Her first instinct was that he was drunk; too drunk to even make it to Belle's. Scarlett had no tears. She ran to him and took him in her arms and shook him. She was so angry and so happy he was alive, all at the same time. Dr. Meade followed, with a look of anger and disappointment on his face.

"Scarlett, this is too much. Your husband, or so you continuously refer to him… has caused us enough pain. Mrs. Meade was scared silly, us woken up by some strange woman, all to help a man who continues to disgrace you. He is drunk. Again. And going God-knows where."

Scarlett wasn't listening to the admonishment. He wasn't dying; she had seen enough death in her life to know that. But the coughing and the sweating. She touched his face and looked him in the eye.

"Rhett, you're killing me."

A spark of recognition flashed across his face. She touched his face and was alarmed. And then she was furious."

"Dr. Meade, my husband is burning up with a fever. He's on fire. Maybe you should actually look at him before you scold him. He was obviously sick and on his way home. Have some human decency!"

Dr. Meade approached, having been utterly shamed by Scarlett. But his opinion of Rhett Butler wasn't going to change.

Scarlett was worried now. He wasn't dead yet, but he was dying. She saw a bottle of whiskey beside him and pushed it further out of sight so no one would see.

Her and Dr. Meade brought Rhett back to Tara, after they brought Amy back to Belle's.

"Tell Miss Watling I owe her my gratitude. And you as well. You saved his life."

Scarlett rode that carriage even faster on the ride back. She quickly arranged for Dr. Meade's medical supplies to arrive at Tara. She had them put Rhett in her bedroom, even though it was on the second floor. His coughing wouldn't stop and it made Scarlett cringe. Meanwhile, Tara became an infirmary. Mammy was the only one allowed to grumble anything negative about Captain Butler.

It occurred to Scarlett how much she needed Melanie. How much she needed her mother. Who would help her with anything if she lost Rhett?

Later that day, Dr. Meade told Scarlett that Rhett had pneumonia and that they would do all they could. There were some medications that proved successful sometimes, and Scarlett very quickly gave Dr. Meade a lot of money to find anything and everything, and to do so quickly. Luckily, people were still afraid enough of Scarlett to fear for their own lives. Within days, there was a private staff of young doctors and nurses; enough to make people think a king was sick.

Scarlett wore a mask that Dr. Meade insisted on, but at times she took it off. She was sleep-deprived and nervous, and had been depressed for over a year anyway. Part of her thought that if Rhett got her sick, maybe he would stay… but then she laughed it off to herself, knowing she had to be strong and healthy for them both. But part of her wanted to die in that bed with Rhett.

She hardly slept for a week. Rhett's fever had gone down and Dr. Meade had said that without bringing her hopes up too much, that Rhett didn't seem to have the most fatal kind of pneumonia. Still, she watched him now from the doorway for hours at a time; having a chair put right outside the door, so she could just stare at him and make sure his cough was better and that he was sleeping comfortable. She read books while she sat there. She paced by the doorway. Then she would sit down again, holding her head in her hands. Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow… Rhett's chest was bare and she concentrated on his heart, as if she and she alone could keep it beating. Doctors held a glass bottle over his heart and put ointments on his chest and cold rags on his forehead.

Rhett did get noticeably better, but he was still in somewhat of a state of delirium. Then, after days of watching Rhett sweat and cough and have the chills and moan in painful frustration, Scarlett saw his eyes open and she finally saw the old Rhett. He looked at her, sitting in a chair by the door. He just looked at her for a long time, as if she was a mirage. She just sat and looked back at him quietly, not wanting to disturb him at first. She was so happy, but so scared to be hopeful. But at least she had time with him. She could no longer bear not to go to him.

She had thought that she would be tender at first, but when she approached him, she began hitting him on the shoulders and the arms and his chest. He didn't fight the punches and slaps. He just whispered "Scarlett…"

"How could you do this? What do I have to do? I can't keep fighting for everyone. They leave me anyway!"

"Scarlett.."

She composed herself, realizing that the man was sick…

"I'm sorry… I just…"

"I'll be fine…"

She waited a few minutes, just standing there, calming herself. She was so happy he was alive and she wanted to hug and kiss him. But instead of a kiss and a hug, all Rhett saw was a sardonic smile. Scarlett spoke again…

"At least when you are at the heavenly gates… or the gates of hell… whichever you prefer my dear… you can tell them that your wife who loves you, stood at your bedside and wanted to kill you for scaring her half to death… can you remember to say all that?"

She bent down and took the rag off his forehead. And never before had Rhett felt her love before; so solid, so close. She kissed his forehead and whispered lovingly to him.

"Is this my destiny? Have I not seen enough people I love die? I was going to grant you your stupid divorce. 'Let the poor bastard look for his happiness, even though I thought you'd still return to me'. Then again, I used to think Ashley would leave Mellie. But if you think I am going to let you run around Atlanta trying to kill yourself! Drinking yourself to death and parading around in the winter like a fool… well, you'll never get a divorce from me now. It's all I could do not to strap you to this bed till the end of time. And I don't think you have any idea how much it costs to bring Rhett Butler back from the dead…"

He smiled at her, still too weak to talk. Scarlett wanted to stay angry at him. But how sweet he looked, smiling back at her with his eyes twinkling… she paced alongside his bed, almost yelling, but keeping her voice down just enough…

"I guess this was the only way to get you back in my bedroom… there were easier ways I suppose, but you and I always do things the difficult way…"

God, I love her… Rhett thought. Melanie was right. He loved her so. She was trying to make him laugh and it was working.

"Maybe if I catch pneumonia and die, you can put on my grave, 'Here lies Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler. Please do find a stone that fits all that. She loved two men and neither loved her back. Oh, they said they did. But they just came in and out of her life torturing her until she just keeled over because she couldn't deal with them any longer'…"

Rhett started to laugh, but the laughs turned into coughs. Mammy's voice came from downstairs. Scarlett grinned back. Finally, he was laughing…

"Miss Scarlett, you better not be aggravating Captain Butler."

Scarlett laughed and whispered to Rhett.

"I've been aggravating Captain Butler for almost half my life. And I'll do it till the day I die."

She moved to the other side of the bed, and curled up next to him, knowing that when he felt better, there would be questions and confessions and leaving and divorce to discuss. She put her hand on his heart as if she owned it and as if she had willed it to beat on her own. She then put her lips on his chest and kissed his heart, happy to feel it beating. And then she fell asleep. She didn't sleep long; Rhett's coughs were still pretty bad, but she kept her arm locked in his, even while his body shook from the coughs. At one point, he seemed to finally realize that she was there risking an infection of her own.

"Scarlett honey, don't stay here. I could still be contagious."

She opened her eyes and said lazily, "Dr. Meade said it's okay now. You'll just have to stay a little longer… oh, and I threw out all your cigars… but not your brandy…"

She sounded so happy to say that. To have him there, unable to leave her was heaven. Sure it was selfish, but it was still heaven.

Mammy came by the door two hours later and rolled her eyes at the two of them. Those two deserve to infect each other and die, she thought hastily.

Scarlett slept for hours more with Rhett beside her. Her hand sometimes fell on his heart.

At some point during the night, she swore that he whispered to her.

"I'm sorry I put you through this… don't you see I'm no good?"

But Scarlett pretended not to hear. She slept in another bedroom that night and for the three nights following. She wanted Rhett to have a good rest.

On the third night, she told him she was going to her cousin's for two days; they had invited her months ago, and she had almost forgot about it.

"Just don't leave like a thief in the night because you're feeling a little better." She was only half-joking.

But Rhett did pack his things the next morning. He was on his way to see Scarlett, and all would have worked out perfectly had Jeb Holbrook not gotten involved…